The present invention relates to a process which permits a synthetic oil tanned or chamois pelt to be obtained entirely similar to natural pelt of this type but starting from a known synthetic sheet material having the characteristic of comprising a porous polyurethane matrix with synthetic fibres embedded therein and having a covering skin of compact polyurethane resin secured to one face of the matrix.
It is known that natural chamois pelts are obtained by buffing, after tanning, the rear part of the natural pelts, or rather that part opposite the skin, which is found, on the animal, in contact with the meat, and/or the part immediately underlying the epidermis itself before removal of this latter with splitting operations subsequent to a treatment with sodium sulphide which has the purpose of removing the hairs. The particular characteristics of chamois leathers, together with their characteristic aspect and "handle" (with this termis indicated the tactile sensation which a person experiences in touching the pelts) are in large measure due to the orientating effect which the buffering phase has on the collagen fibres, which constitute the major part of the corium of which chamois leathers are formed. For the purpose of producing imitations of natural chamois leathers several materials have been produced which are able to be subjected to a buffering phase similar to that to which natural pelts are subjected; such materials seek to imitate the structure of the corium of the animal pelts (by corium is meant the layer of a pelt immediately underlying the epidermis) and for this reason comprise a more or less compact matrix in which are embedded, or between which are inserted, artificial fibres; in one known product currently in commercial use under the name ALCANTARA (registered trade mark) the matrix is made of polyurethane into which microspun polyester fibres are incorporated with special techniques. However, with the known materials and techniques a product of quality similar to that of natural chamois pelts is not successfully obtained; not even ALCANTARA, in fact, whilst being one of the most valued artificial materials, has a handle equivalent to that of natural chamois pelts, so that its use is limited in clothing and furnishings.